Inside the Masterpiece

The concept of music masterpiece seems to be as old as times. Distinguished from the rest of the pieces by its superior quality, the masterpiece is grabbing the attention of the audience with its undivided everlasting authority, having no need to prove itself anymore… What an honor, luck and privilege it is to be the one of those that survives through centuries! Just imagine: if you are the masterpiece, you are performed over and over again, receive endless musical interpretations and recordings, you are explored and discussed, admired and respected, and you earn very good money.

But what does the category of masterpiece actually imply? Is a predetermined fate or a coincidence for a newly born opus to join the masterpiece club? What qualities are making the musical piece good enough for being granted with such a high title? Besides, does it always play into the hands of the music? It would be unfair to promise straight-forward answers to all of these questions. But a few particular cases from the ashes of music history can give a glimpse into what the answers could be… In this interactive lecture, music theorist Asja Zakhareva will try to shine light on this question, drawing examples from one of the most beloved masterpieces of all time: Dvořák's New World Symphony.